Letters

Submissions reflect readers’ opinions and may be edited for length and clarity.

Deer

Nov. 16 found me in a deer blind near Huntsville in Randolph County. I have never missed an opening day of deer season in Missouri in 70 years. I made up my mind only a big one would do. I saw 29 deer the first day. I never saw a big one. I saw some small, seven and eight points. I never fired a shot. I have taken some nice deer in all of these years, and stored up a lot of memories. I enjoy your magazine. Great work.

L.W. Terry, Clifton Hill

Thanks, MDC.

Because of you, we have a great deer population. I love living in Missouri.

Dale Daughetry, via Facebook

Wonderful Walleye

The article about walleye from the February magazine was especially fascinating [Wonderful Walleye]. The fact that the fish swim in schools, stay away from bright light, and are active in the winter was both interesting and surprising. I am not much of a fisher, but I am now hoping to catch a walleye on Stockton Lake some day. Thank you for the enthralling article.

Rosemary William, Stockton

February Issue

Wow! Missouri Conservationist covers are legendary for their excellence, yet the February cover exceeds that usual high level. I marvel at how the colors and background so exactly match those of the Niangua darter. Editors and photographer Jim Rathert, take a well-deserved bow.

Ken Rosenauer, Country Club

This month’s Conservationist was the best in years. It seemed to lend itself to education.

Richard Minton, Hamilton

Memories

Charlie Campbell, Ph.D., mentioned the Nature Knights in the February issue of the Missouri Conservationist [Letters], and that sparked memories of another one-room school in the late 1940s. I was a student at High Hill School in Macon County, and one day our teacher told us a man was coming after lunch to visit. Mr. Basil Morlan came and told us of a new organization called the Nature Knights. Students could join and learn about nature and how to make our world a better place by caring for it properly. He had us making scrapbooks and identifying trees, wildflowers, birds, and bugs. We loved it. The Nature Knights program was an important part of my education. Campbell’s letter brought back fond memories of collecting leaves and flowers for the many scrapbooks we made in our little rural school. Thank you for the Missouri Conservationist. We look forward to finding it in our mailbox every month.

Doris Noah, Bucklin

Opportunities

I love enjoying the opportunities Missouri conservation has to offer with my 3-year-old son and black Lab. You guys are doing great. Keep up the great work.

Mike Jennings, Bridgeton

Tower Grove Park

Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed Danny Brown’s article and photos about Tower Grove Park [March].

Cheryl Balke, Florissant

We just finished reading the March issue of the Missouri Conservationist. We especially enjoyed the cover photo of the great horned owlets and the article and photographs of Tower Grove Park by Danny Brown. We continue to be impressed by his talent as a photographer and writer.

Wayne and Carol Bean, Union

Nature Envelopes

I have been enjoying your fine magazine for years, and I especially love the gorgeous nature photography. Not wanting to waste those beautiful photos, I turn them into envelopes. Just another way to enjoy nature and spread the love while recycling. Keep up the good work and especially the great full-page nature photography. You never know where they end up.

Jan Canyon, via email

Reader Photo

Hickory in Spring

Eric Davis captured this young hickory tree unfolding new spring leaves in his yard along the Niangua Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. The tree was one of several 3-foot-tall seedlings Davis planted years ago. The trees are now “8-feet-tall and vigorous,” said Davis. He has also planted some pecan trees. “The pecans are also doing well,” said Davis. “Including one that was chomped by a passing deer.”